Colonial Congress

Even before public service had made him known, Washington was a friend and
guest of many of the leading Virginians. Between 1747 and 1754 he visited
the Carters of Shirley, Nomony, and Sabine Hall, the Lewises of Warner
Hall, the Lees of Stratford, and the Byrds of Westover, and there was
acquaintance at least with the Spotswoods, Fauntleroys, Corbins,
Randolphs, Harrisons, Robinsons, Nicholases, and other prominent families.
In fact, one friend wrote him, "your health and good fortune are the toast
of every table," and another that "the Council and Burgesses are mostly
your friends," and those two bodies included every Virginian of real
influence. It was Richard Corbin who enclosed him his first commission, in
a brief note, beginning "Dear George" and ending "your friend," but in
time relations became more or less strained, and Washington suspected him
"of representing my character ... with ungentlemanly freedom." With
John Robinson, "Speaker" and Treasurer of Virginia, who wrote Washington
in 1756, "our hopes, dear George, are all fixed on you," a close
correspondence was maintained, and when Washington complained of the
governor's course towards him Robinson replied, "I beg dear friend, that
you will bear, so far as a man of honor ought, the discouragements and
slights you have too often met with." The son, Beverly Robinson, was a
fellow-soldier, and, as already mentioned, was Washington's host on his
visit to New York in 1756. The Revolution interrupted the friendship, but
it is alleged that Robinson (who was deep in the Arnold plot) made an
appeal to the old-time relation in an endeavor to save André. The appeal
was in vain, but auld lang syne had its influence, for the sons of
Beverly, British officers taken prisoners in 1779, were promptly
exchanged, so one of them asserted, "in consequence of the embers of
friendship that still remained unextinguished in the breasts of my father
and General Washington."

Outside of his own colony, too, Washington made friends of many prominent
families, with whom there was more or less interchange of hospitality.
Before the Revolution there had been visiting or breaking of bread with
the Galloways, Dulaneys, Carrolls, Calverts, Jenifers, Edens, Ringgolds,
and Tilghmans of Maryland, the Penns, Cadwaladers, Morrises, Shippens,
Aliens, Dickinsons, Chews, and Willings of Pennsylvania, and the De
Lanceys and Bayards of New York.

Election to the Continental Congress strengthened some friendships and
added new ones. With Benjamin Harrison he was already on terms of
intimacy, and as long as the latter was in Congress he was the member most
in the confidence of the General. Later they differed in politics, but
Washington assured Harrison that "my friendship is not in the least
lessened by the difference, which has taken place in our political
sentiments, nor is my regard for you diminished by the part you have
acted." Joseph Jones and Patrick Henry both took his part against the
Cabal, and the latter did him especial service in forwarding to him the
famous anonymous letter, an act for which Washington felt "most grateful
obligations." Henry and Washington differed later in politics, and it was
reported that the latter spoke disparagingly of the former, but this
Washington denied, and not long after offered Henry the Secretaryship of
State. Still later he made a personal appeal to him to come forward and
combat the Virginia resolutions of 1798, an appeal to which Henry
responded. The intimacy with Robert Morris was close, and, as already
noted, Washington and his family were several times inmates of his home.
Gouverneur Morris was one of his most trusted advisers, and, it is
claimed, gave the casting vote which saved Washington from being arrested
in 1778, when the Cabal was fiercest. While President, Washington sent him
on a most important mission to Great Britain, and on its completion made
him Minister to France. From that post the President was, at the request
of France, compelled to recall him; but in doing so Washington wrote him a
private letter assuring Morris that he "held the same place in my
estimation" as ever, and signed himself "yours affectionately." Charles
Carroll of Carrollton was a partisan of the General, and very much
disgusted a member of the Cabal by telling him "almost literally that
anybody who displeased or did not admire the Commander-in-chief, ought not
to be kept in the army." And to Edward Rutledge Washington wrote, "I can
but love and thank you, and I do it sincerely for your polite and friendly
letter.... The sentiments contained in it are such as have uniformly
flowed from your pen, and they are not the less flattering than pleasing
to me."